Overshoe with gusset and tongue



25, 1954 A. o. ODLAND 2,666,996

OVERSHOE WITH GUSSET AND TONGUE Filed July 18, 1951 ALFRED 0. ODLINO INVENTOR.

AGENT Patented Jan. 26, 1954 Alfred 0. Odland, Waupun,

Wis., assignor to Invention Development Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application July 18, 1951, Serial No. 237,438

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an overshoe and more particularly to an overshoe having an opening in its rearward wall above the heel.

Heretofore, the principal difiiculties arising from the use of the usual types of overshoes in inclement weather have been many. Mud tends to accumulate on the frontally-located closure mechanisms, such as slide fasteners and buckles, and causes them to jam. Closely packed snow acts similarly. The top of the closure often chafes the front of the calf of the wearers leg. A frontally-located closure often deteriorates at one or two points of flexure due to the constant bending which occurs as its wearer walks r runs.

Overshoes having frontally-located closures are also notably diflicult to put on. This may be due to the fact that at the areas of greatest friction between the wearers shoe and the overshoe, such an overshoe is almost unyielding. These areas are those where the heel and the instep of the shoe contact the overshoe when the heel of the shoe is being pressed against the back of the overshoe at about midway between its top and bottom. At the same time, the instep of the shoe is pushed against the instep of the overshoe, usually with so much resulting resistance that the overshoe is made difiicult to put on.

The term overshoe as used herein refers to overshoes, boots and other footwear which is designed to be worn over ordinary shoes or footgear such as are not normally worn when walking in mud, snow, water or other adverse conditions.

An object of this invention is, therefore, an improved overshoe.

Another object is an overshoe having a closure at the rear.

Another object is an overshoe which may be easily put on over other footgear.

Another object is an overshoe having a closure resistant to being jammed by snow or mud.

Further objects will become apparent as the following detailed description proceeds.

Figure 1 is an elevation in perspective of one embodiment of my invention. Figure 2 is a rear view in perspective showing another embodiment of my invention, and Figure 3 is a cross section through the rear portion of an overshoe embodying the species of my invention shown in Figure 1.

An openin in the form of a vertical slit, is provided with fastener 2 to effect a closure. Such fastener may be a slide fastener (multiple tooth type fastener) or may consist of one or more buckles or any other type of fastening means well known to the prior art.

back of overshoe I, in the 5 Gusset 3 is attached firmly at all of its edges except its top to the edges of the opening and effectively prevents entry of water or other material into the overshoe when the opening is in either the open or closed position. Tongue 4, attached to the overshoe at the lower extremity of the opening, facilitates puttin the overshoe on. Tongue 4 may be in the form of a strap as shown and may also be in the form of a loop, 5, as shown in Figure 2, or it may be omitted altogether. When the opening is in the closed position, the tongue is held between the gusset and the inside of the overshoe, as shown by the cross section of the back of the overshoe in Figure 3, in which strap 4 is on the inner side of overshoe wall I and fastener 2, but is on the outer side of gusset 3. In place of a strap or loop as shown, any generally flexible lon appendage may be used as a tongue for example, very decorative woven leather work might be used. The presence of the tongue facilitates greatly putting on and removing the overshoe.

The overshoe may be constructed of any material known to be suitable for use in overshoes, and my invention is in no way limited to any particular material for this purpose. Similarly, the strap or tongue, which is attached to the rear of the overshoe for the purpose of facilitating its placement or removal on the foot, may also be made of any materia1 known to be suitable for such purposes, such as, for example, leather, rubber or plastic, and the particular material used is in no way the subject of this invention. The invention thus is broad and is not to be restricted excepting by the claim in which it is my intention to cover all novelty inherent in this invention as broadly as possible in view of prior art.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim:

An overshoe having a vertical slit in its rear wall, said slit extending from the top of said overshoe to a point opening created when said slit is in the open position, and flexible tongue means separate from said gusset, said tongue means being overshoe at the lower extremity of said slit on the inner side of said rear Wall but on the outer side of said gusset, said 100p terminating at the top thereof at substantially the top edge of the overshoe and being adapted to lie flat against the rear inside portion of said overshoe with the top thereof at substantially the level of the top of the overshoe when said slit is in the closed position and to allow said gusset to lie flat against the inner portion of said strap.

ALFRED O. ODLAND.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Jordan May 1, 1888 Stewart June 18, 1912 Bott et a1. June 1, 1926 Griifiths Dec. 1, 1931 Ingwer Dec. 17, 1935 Tamaki June 9, 1942 Demick May 23, 1950 Goetz Oct. 10, 1951 

